09/01/2026
September 1, 2026
Hard to believe that HandleBar is turning 16 years old TODAY!I remember when we first opened our doors and were mostly supported by friends and family, as well as the bike and arts folks. Had messy raging parties, drank too much and sprayed beer on each other regularly 😅
We have always strived to be an everybody bar and I feel that over the years we have only gotten better at being just that - a welcoming place for all. More inclusive, more diverse and thus even more fun!
The bar has been evolving, growing, changing over the years. Many of the HandleBarbarians have left their marks on it. It’s definitely been a communal effort keeping this baby going.
It hasn’t always been easy , and to be honest wasn’t always fun. We’ve gone through troubled waters more than once. Survived the pandemic, got burned out, buried good friends…We grew up, learned, grew stronger and always tried to keep spirits up & move forward with commitment to silliness, whimsy, fun and inclusion.
Now that we are here…
I am so grateful for all the friends we met, all the connections we made, all the lessons we learned. For this building a safe and happy place to myself and so many of you! So grateful for this neighborhood we call home and for this city and people who have been supportive since day one.
I truly hope the HandleBarbarians and I will keep this ship afloat for many more years to come, and that we keep creating magical moments, spreading positive energy and building community with all of you.
Thank you, STL! Come party with us on the 12th. Let’s make more memories and celebrate life!
💖🎂🥳
Tatyana
P.S.
There are so many photos and memories, I can only share a limited amount here , but feel free to take a walk down memory lane on our FB profile in the albums section.